What to know before a front garden driveway in Melksham
In and around Melksham, village-style frontages sit alongside newer cul-de-sacs, so the right block often depends on the age of the house.
Sloping plots are common in the South West, which affects edging, steps and where the water runs.
How much does a front garden driveway cost in Melksham?
Guide price in Melksham: £85–£140 per m² including VAT, which puts a 50 m² double drive at about £4,250–£7,000. These are South West guide figures; the survey confirms the real price before you commit.
| Item | Guide price inc VAT |
|---|---|
| Concrete block driveway, new sub-base | £85–£140 per m² |
| Breaking out an old surface | £10–£40 per m² |
| Edging or kerb, bedded and haunched | £20–£50 per metre |
| Typical channel drain run | £350–£1,000 |
| Dropped kerb (vehicle crossover) construction | £1,000–£3,000 |
Guide figures for the South West, checked 9 November 2026. See all prices or use the guide price tool.
What is included?
A front garden conversion turns a lawn or small front garden into off-street parking. For terraces and semis without a drive, it is often the single most useful change to the house, but it only works if a car fits, the water has somewhere to go and the council will drop the kerb.
- Dig-out, sub-base and edging
- Space check: car length, door swing and the gap to the pavement
- Permeable blocks or falls to a planted border
- Optional bin store area, planting strip and low edging
- Wall, hedge or fence opening and making good the ends
What the survey covers
- Where rain will go: falls, lawn, border, channel or soakaway
- Existing manhole and inspection covers, and whether to recess them
- Where an electric vehicle charger cable might run
- Trees and roots near the drive
- Ground conditions under the old surface and how deep the sub-base must be
Rules for front drives in Melksham
Melksham is in England, so these rules apply:
In England, paving in front of the house that covers more than 5 m² needs planning permission unless it is permeable or drains to a lawn, border or soakaway inside your boundary. Permeable block paving, or standard blocks laid to fall onto a planted strip, avoid the need for permission in most cases.
Flats and maisonettes, listed buildings, and homes covered by an Article 4 direction can have tighter rules, and conservation areas, National Parks and National Landscapes restrict some permitted development.
A dropped kerb needs your local highway authority's approval (usually the county, unitary, metropolitan or London borough council), and a new access onto an A, B or C classified road also needs planning permission.
General guidance, not legal advice. Your survey confirms what applies to your home. See the planning guide.
From enquiry to finished paving
Send the basics
Postcode, what you need and a rough size. Photos help.
Survey
We measure, check levels, ground and drainage, and talk through blocks and patterns.
Written quote
An itemised quote with the specification, the price and the start date.
The work
Our paving team builds it to the agreed specification and leaves the site swept.
What you can expect from us
Honest timescales
We tell you how long the job takes and what can delay it, such as approvals and weather.
Edges set in concrete
Every edge restraint is bedded and haunched, so the paving cannot creep.
Water planned first
Falls, channels and soakaways are designed before the pattern is chosen.
The dig and sub-base in writing
Your quote states the depth of dig, the sub-base thickness and how it is compacted.
Front garden drives in Melksham: questions
Do you cover Trowbridge, Chippenham and Warminster?
Yes. We cover Melksham and the places around it, including Trowbridge, Chippenham and Warminster, and the rest of Wiltshire.
What happens to my old drive?
It is broken out and taken away by skip or grab lorry, listed as its own line on your quote.
How long does a front garden driveway take to build?
Most homes take between three and seven working days, depending on size, the dig and the drainage. Your quote gives the expected duration.
How much does a front garden driveway cost in Melksham?
Our guide for Melksham is £85–£140 per m² including VAT, so a 50 m² double drive is usually about £4,250–£7,000. Your fixed price follows the survey.
Front garden drives near Melksham
Nearby towns we cover for front garden drives, and front garden drives across Wiltshire:
- Front garden drives in Trowbridge
- Front garden drives in Chippenham
- Front garden drives in Warminster
- Front garden drives in Swindon
